Just wanted to introduce myself. I recently found an old McIntosh tube that was my grandfathers. I don't want to turn it on because I am afraid it will torch it, so I am going to send it in.

But in the mean time, it got me to think about these tube amps alot. They seem very very cool to look at, and I feel like it would be a lot of fun to build one in my free time.

Do any of you know a good book that talks you through the build of one. with schematics, how to read them etc.

I am talking very basic.

I did take EE in college as a computer science major. But we mostly dealt with microprocessor design. So although I am familiar with looking at an electrical schcematic its been eyons since then, so I would want a build your own tube amp for dummies book.

Sorry if this has been answered on here somewhere but I couldn't find it in the search..

Also what would you recomend as a kit?

Cheers.

pageboy

13th January 2012 04:10 AM

Valve Amplifiers by Morgan Jones comes highly recommended around here. A new edition just came out too. I can't help much on kits as I roll my own.

Cassiel

13th January 2012 04:51 AM

If Morgan's book is for dummies there are a lot of dummies around here. Ergo....not the best place to ask questions. Haha. If you just want to build your own there's 'Building Valve Amplifiers' by the same author; you could also buy PCB's from Tubelab.

If Morgan's book is for dummies there are a lot of dummies around here. Ergo....not the best place to ask questions. Haha. If you just want to build your own there's 'Building Valve Amplifiers' by the same author; you could also buy PCB's from Tubelab.

Perhaps the joke is lost on me, but I have to disagree with above statement.

Morgan Jones' Valve Amplifiers (4th edition is just out) is actually a good read - even for someone who has a background in electronics. I skipped the first few chapters that explain how basic components work and jumped in at the description of how tubes work. I got quite a bit out of it. I have the 3rd edition and am considering buying the 4th when it becomes available.
I also find that you can get a lot of information from this forum. But as with any other forum, there're people who know their stuff and people who think they do. And people who communicate in a style that you like and people who don't. If you watch the forum for a while you'll develop your own favorites.

You can also get a lot of information on-line. Here for example.
Pete Millett also has quite an extensive technical book collection on-line: http://tubebooks.org/

~Tom

Cassiel

13th January 2012 08:32 PM

Quote:

Perhaps the joke is lost on me

Maybe or maybe you didn't find it funny at all. I think I gave good advice but maybe I didn't.

Quote:

Do any of you know a good book that talks you through the build of one. I am talking very basic.

.....so I would want a build your own tube amp for dummies book..

boywonder

14th January 2012 03:35 PM

As Mentioned, Morgan Jones Valve Amplifiers 3rd ed or 4th ed (when it comes out-any minute)....and "Building Valve Amplifiers" The first book is more design/theory, the second one is more construction and testing.

If you want a book that is a bit more beginner, Bruce Rosenblit's "Beginner's Guide to Tube Audio Design"

Here is free web based educational stuff from Turner Audio as well......education+diy

+1 on all of the above.

Morgan Jones' V.A. book makes an attempt at being a beginner's book by including some electronics basics at the beginning but he makes very little attempt to keep things simple or progressive after that. He's an engineer and uses an academic writing style that I find unappealing and thus distracting. I would consider V.A. to be more of an important reference book (a how/why encyclopedia of sorts) to keep handy when you want to better understand how a specific topic should be properly implemented. Get this book, certainly, but don't expect to learn the basics from it unless you're already into electronics.

I've found some great (and free) reads from Pete Millets archive (listed above). For example, Norman Crowhurst's books are extremely well written and easily digested.

..Todd

Cassiel

15th January 2012 12:02 AM

Quote:

For example, Norman Crowhurst's books are extremely well written and easily digested.

Yes, Norman knows how to write. I also like the way John Broskie expresses himself. I find MJ's writing style slightly annoying but to each his own. He seems to be very popular among engineers.

Quote:

Quote:

And people who communicate in a style that you like and people who don't.